Ethnic influences abound this season, transforming simple shapes into cultured pearls. Here's how to tap into spring's hottest new trend without looking like a tourista.

If this season had a theme song, designers might be humming, "It's a Small World After All." With the America's newfound enthusiasm for all things ethnic - from the Latin music explosion, to increased travel, to foreign locales, to the global village known as the Internet - it was inevitable that designers would also cross the international dateline for inspiration. This season's fashion hot spots span the globe - South America, Mexico, India, Africa, Morocco, Japan and China.

Joining the culture club doesn't require a passport, a crash course at Berlitz or frequent flyer miles on the Concorde, just an adventurous spirit. To make the trip a bit easier, we've organized a whirlwind tour of this season's global fashions, and the source of their inspiration.

Global Glamour - Latin Fever!

The influence of Mexico and South America can be seen in the proliferation of ruffled skirts, dresses and blouses, shoulder-baring peasant tops, handbags of straw and raffia, coral jewelry and hothouse floral prints.

Looks That Travel Well:

For Work

• Ruffle details are the easiest to incorporate into a business look. A blouse with a ruffled neckline and cuffs can be partnered with a tailored suit, softening its hard edges. Or, use a classic white shirt and fitted jacket to temper the sexy edge of a ruffle-hem skirt.
• Off-the-shoulder tops with a modest neckline can be worn underneath a suit jacket, as long as the jacket doesn't come off during the day. Shed the jacket after five, and you're ready for a night on the town.
• Opt for accessories that add a multi-cultural flair. Coral earrings, a chiffon scarf in a large floral print, a large straw tote bag are all ways to infuse an outfit with South American salsa.

For Weekends

• Pair an off-the-shoulder peasant style top with your favorite pair of dark denim jeans and thong sandals. The ideal top has elasticized gathers at the neckline and cuff; this extra detail will keep you from constantly having to make adjustments or worry abut falling out of your top.
• The season's caliente-hot, ruffled dresses are ideal for stepping out, especially if you're showing off your latest Mambo moves. But watch the frills - too many flounces can be overwhelming to look at and to wear.
• Aztec prints and embroideries breathe new life into casual pant and skirt sets. Pulled together yet completely at ease.

Global Glamour - Indian Spice!

Spring's most vibrant color palette - rich saffron yellow, ruby red, orchid and orange spice - has its origins in the East. Other New Delhi-inspired details: drawstring pants with beaded embellishments, skirts made from sari fabrics, t-shirts with images of Indian gods and goddesses, and the ever-present Buddhist-inspired power beads. Oh, Calcutta!

Looks That Travel Well:

For Work

• A twin sweater set in spice tones can give a traditional, knee-length skirt modern yet classic appeal.
• For more creative workplaces, a suit in a vibrant color, worn with a shirt in basic black, white or cream, can set you apart from the pinstripe crowd.
• A wrap skirt in an Indian-inspired paisley print partnered with a simple blazer and crisp poplin shirt allows Eastern and Western wardrobe philosophies to stylishly coexist.

For Weekends

• Trade the ubiquitous pair of sweatpants for drawstring pants with bead detailing at the waist to upgrade your dress-down wardrobe.
• Skirts and pants embellished with crystals, beads or mirrored pieces are ideal options for evenings out. Top it off with a simple tank or racy halter in a solid color.
• Incorporate accessories with ethnic details - embroidered flats, belts and handbags - into your weekend wear for a more polished downtime look.

Global Glamour - Jungle Chic

Amazon or African, this season, designers made a run for the jungle. While last fall's pony-skin prints are still a dominant presence, especially in belts, bags and shoes, the sexiest stars this Spring slither into the spotlight - snakeskin, lizard and croc - in everything from bathing suits to lightweight, printed leathers.

Looks That Travel Well:

For Work

• A structured handbag, classic pump or ultra-slim belt is the safest way to introduce reptilian elements into a work wardrobe built on basics.
• For more laid-back offices, try layering a short, cropped jacket made of faux croc or snakeskin over a simple shell and tailored trousers.
• Python prints - in both clothing and accessories - are an instant updater. But avoid the temptation to wear it head-to-toe: a strappy sandal, a halter dress, a sleek raincoat or a silk blouse is all you need.

For Weekends

• Look for the fringe elements - tops, scarves and pants with fringe details - that you can pair with your everyday denims.

Global Glamour - The Asian Fusion

The currency in this foreign exchange: rich fabrics and elegant embroideries. Watch for mandarin collar jackets, prints with Japanese cherry blossoms, Chinese dragons and Nepalese flags, silk shantungs and textured fabrics that look like rice paper, kimono jackets and sarong-style skirts.

Looks That Travel Well:

For Work

• Substitute a kimono-style wrap jacket for a basic blazer to give an ordinary suit a fresh twist.
• A sheath dress in an Asian-inspired print can easily go to work if partnered with a solid jacket in an understated color.
• A mandarin-collared vest is a stylish stand-in for a shell underneath a suit jacket.

For Weekends

• Silk capri pants in an Asian-inspired print, paired with a solid form-fitting knit top, are ideal for a night on the town, especially when the occasion calls for comfort, but no jeans.
• The unconstructed ease of a mandarin collar jacket with frog closures makes a stylish alternative to the jeans jacket you'd normally throw on over khakis on the weekend.

Global Glamour - The Marakesh Express

What's new out of Africa - North Africa - are animal prints to fuel fashion's wild side, with sensuous Moroccan influences; printed caftans, tunic tops with beaded hems, and embellishments such as Moroccan bells that tinkle and chime.

Looks That Travel Well:

For Work

• Skirts, shirts, suits and pants in wild prints are strictly for offices with relaxed rules. In the most buttoned-up environments, a zebra print pocket scarf or leopard print belt might even be taking it too far. The best corporate strategy may be to save the wild ones for weekends.
• If you must indulge your animal instincts, reserve the look for an animal-print handbag in a simple shape or a small, unobtrusive pair of animal-print earrings.

For Weekends

• On your own downtime, you can get as wild as you dare. But whatever you do, don't dress head-to-toe in one print. Overkill, even on the weekends, endangers the species.

East, West, North and South. With so much to choose from, now's not the time to stay home when it comes to fashion. Whether your style journey takes you across the pond or across several continents, a few smart accessories and "foreign exchanges" are all you need to stylewalk around the world, this Spring.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Vanessa Bush has covered the beauty and fashion scene for a host of magazines including Glamour and Honey, and she is currently an editor at Essence. She is the co-author, with supermodel Tyra Banks, of Tyra's Beauty Inside & Out. Vanessa and her family make their home in New Jersey.

Discuss this article with others right now at The Salon!

100% Safe & Secure
NO ANIMAL TESTING OR INGREDIENTS (100% VEGAN)
© 2007 Lamas, Inc. All Rights Reserved.